Hairpin dispenser



May 27, 1947. H. M. HOWARD v HAIRPIN DISPENSER Filed Aug. 21, 1.945 2 sheets-sheet 1 May 27, 1947.. I H. M. HcwARD HAIRP IN DISPENSER Filed Aug. 21, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f 3 www A Patented May 27, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIRPIN DISPENSER Harold M. Howard, Elmhurst, Long Island, N. Y.

Application August 21, 1945, Serial No. 611,771

(Cl. S12-69) 4 Claims. l

This invention relates to hairpin dispensers and has for its object to improve generally upon a device of this kind wherein a multiplicity of hairpins may be placed as a gross supply within the device and discharged, at the will of the operator, one at a time in succession.

An object of the invention is to make practical and ecient the dispensing operation of the device in a simplification of the structure to not only fa-cilitate the manufacture of the same but to minimize the cost thereof.

Other objects and advantages to be attained will hereinafter more fully appear in the following description.

An illustrative but non-limiting exemplication of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on or about the line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on or about the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on or about the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section adjacent to the lower edge portion of the cover member.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral I 0 designates the base portion of the device which is flattened throughout the major portion thereof and of a circular form. The base member I0 is formed, adjacent its'periphery, with an upstanding flange I I of substantial height, said flange being tapered upwardly and the taper corresponding to the normal taper of an ordinary hairpin in the set form of the latter. In the use of the device a plurality of hairpins are placed as a supply on this flanged portion I I of the base, the pins straddling the flange in closely placed relation to each other, that is to say, the supply of hairpins is arranged in an annular series on said flange portion II and in abutting relation to each other. As thus placed on the flange II, with a cover element I2 applied to the base member I0, the entire group of hairpins placed within the device are urged in one direction by a spring pressed follower element and the foremost hairpin in the circular series thereof is moved into registration with an outlet slot and has a part thereof automatically projected outwardly through the slot, thus placing the partially ejected hairpin in a position to be grasped and withdrawn from the device and at the same time the hairpin in a partially projected position arrests the movement of the remainder of the pins until the par- 2 tially projected hairpin is withdrawn and upon the occurrence of which the next following pin is brought into registration with the discharge slot, which operation will be described in detail as the description proceeds.

It is here noted that, for hairpins of plain straight leg members, the taper of the flange II may be throughout the entire height of the flange, as indicated generally to the right in Figure 2, but, to accommodate hairpins having the middle portions of their legs rebent or corrugated with the rebe-nt portions set inwardly the inner and outer peripheral faces of the flange II will have recesses I3 formed therein, said recesses extending annular-ly throughout the entire extent of the annular upstanding flange II except adjacent where a vertical slot I4 is formed in the flange I I for the ejection of the leading hairpin in the annular series thereof placed on the flange Il. Also, in the region where the slot I4 is provided in the flange II, the near portion of the flange is thickened and enlarged on its inner surface at the base thereof, said thickened portion flaring from a point approximately where the numeral I6 is applied in Figure 3. This thickened and flared portion I5 adjacent the base of the flange I I causes a spreading of the inner leg of the hairpin inwardly as it reaches the slot I4 and this springing of the lower end portion of the inner leg of the hairpin causes the upper part of the hairpin to become projected outwardly through the slot I 4 and a registering vertical slot I1 in the adjacent side wall of the cover member I2.

, cover member I2, as at 20. The remaining solid portion 2| below the lower end 2l] of the slot I'I keeps the lower end of the outer leg of the hairpin I9 in place within the dispensing device until the hairpin is manually withdrawn through the registered slot I4 in the flange Il and the slot `I`I in the cover member I2.

It is here further noted that the bottom of the Vslot I 4 is formed curvedly, as at 22, and at the inner end of the curved bottom 22 the adjacent vbase portion of the widened part of the flange I5 is notched, as at 23, said notch 23 being provided to receive the extreme lower end of the inner leg member of the hairpin I9.

Hence, as thus far generally described, the supply of hairpins grouped in touching relation to each other on the circular rack afforded by the upstanding tapered flange II, are moved bodily and en masse until the leading hairpin I9 reaches and has its upper portion ejected outwardly through the registered ilange slot I4 and side wall slot I'I of the cover member, It is therefore obvious that if the supply group of hairpins is forced bodily in the direction of the ejection slots I4 and Il the next following hairpin moves into reg* istration with the slots I4 and I'I and its upper portion becomes partially ejected as the preceding partially ejected hairpin is withdrawn.

Means for moving the body of hairpins to the aforesaid ejecting position will now be described.

As shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3,- an upstanding Central stud 24 is provided on the base member IU. Sleeved and supported rotatably on this stud element 24 is a cylindrical hub portion 25 having an integral radial arm 26 which latter, as shown, is made as a flat strip and the same rides closely adiacent to or directly upon the inner face of the bottom member I0. Near the outer end of this arm 26 there isprovided an upstanding linger piece 21 to be grasped for the purpose of moving the arm 26 in a clockwise direction as viewing the arm 23 from above as the arm is shown in Figure 3l. This manual movement of the arm'26 Winds a coil spring 28, one end of the spring being fastened, as at 26, to the base of the stud 24 and the outer end of the spring being fastened, as at 3i), to the arm 28- adjacent the hub portion 25 thereof. In the use oi the device this arm 26 is moved to a normally set position, as indicated in dotted lines,

at 26', and there releasably held, in a manner registered slot Ill in the flange Ill and the entire s remainder of the flange may be supplied with enough hairpins to completely encircle the rack afforded by the flange ll up to the notch le. It is here noted that at the outer end of the arm 26, there is an opstanding extension, the lower portion 3| of which, as shown, is inclined upwardly and forwardly and thence upwardly as at 32, against the inner face of the ilange I I, whence it is rebent cnrvedly, as at 33, over the rounded upper edge of the flange II, and then downwardly, as at 34, where it terminates, as at 35, adjacent the upper edge of the outer annular slot i3 in' the flange II. With the rebent portions' 32 and 3d of the arm 26 straddling the upper portion of the flange I I, behind the circular row L,

of closely positioned hairpins on theY rack afforded by the ange II, and the arm 26 released to the reaction of the coiled spring 28, said arm 26 moves counterelockwise in the direction indicated by the arcuate set of arrows in Figure 3, thereby forcing the body of hairpins along the rack until the leading hairpin is moved to a position to be ejected, asshown in Figure 2, whereupon, as hereinabove stated, the leading hairpin I9 is caused to project with its upper portion outwardly through the registered slots I4 and Il.

Any suitable releasable latching means may be provided for releasably holding the springpressed follower arm 26 in its normally retracted position during the filling of the device withv the hairpins to be dispensed. As shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 5, a practical provision for this purpose is illustrated, In this provision, there is provided a spring catch element 35 of a peculiarly bent formation, wherein an end portion 36 is fastened in the upper end portion of a vertically disposed thickened portion 31 of the annular flange II adjacent where the slot I4 occurs. In this connection it is also noted that the thickened portion 3"?l also affords a stop shoulder for preventing the leading hairpin from passing beyond the region of the slots I4 and Il.

The spring catch element 35 is held, as just above noted, by the end portion 36 engaged in the upper end portion of the vertical thickened part 31 of the annular rack ange II and the outer end portion of the spring element 35 is formed with a hook, as at 3B, so as to engage a stud 39 to limit the upward movement of the element 35 and the resiliency of the element 35 is such that said hooked portion 38 is normally held in engagement with said stud 39. Just above the hooked end portion 38, the element 35 is provided with an upwardly bent portion G6 constituting a shoulder to engage the arched portion 33 of the follower arm 25 so as to releasabl'yhold the arm in its aforesaid manually retracted position against the reaction of the coil spring 28. Between the straight intermediate portion i2 of the spring element 35 where the part 33 of the follower arm 26 engages the element 35 and the support-ing portion 36 of said element 35 there is an upwardly bent portion 43 somewhat higher than the aforesaid bent portionli. This higher portion cl3 of the element 35 is of such proportions that the top of the cover member I2 engages the same and depresses the latch element 35 just before the cover member is placed in its fully closed position on the base member Iii. That is to say, the side wall portion of the cover member I2 is flared slightly, the angularity of the flare corresponding substantially to the tapered circumferential face of the flange II on the base member lil. Therefore, the cover member is applied to the base member by merely moving it downwardly axially in relation to the base member until its lower marginal portion M comes in contact with a peripheral shoulder 45 on the base member I0. When the edge portion 46 of the cover member contacts the flange 45 of the base member the top of the cover member I2 engaging the raised portion 63 of the latch element 35 depresses the latch element and thereby releases the retaining shoulder III and frees the arm 26 to the reactive effe-ct of the coil springy 28. It is, of course, understood that the latching effect for the arm 26 is attained by merely moving the arm clockwise until the part 33 of the arm engages the latch member 35.

It is further noted that the adjacent part of the flange II is recessed, as at 46, for thev accommodation of the latch element 35. So, too, means is also preferably provided for effecting the application of the cover I2 to the base member II ina definitely positioned placement of the parts, Forthis purpose' the lower edge portion of the side wall of the' cover member I2 is provided with an inturn'ed bead 4l adapted tcV t within a slightly annularly recessed portion-at the base of the flange II of the base member I6 with but slight outward springing of the lower edge portion of theV side wall of the cover' member I2. In the reg-ion where the edge poi-tion of the side wall of the cover' member' I2 is coincident with the. aforesaid thickened portion 31 o'f the flange 5 ll the lower edge portion of the side wall of the cover member I2 is without such inturned beading 41, said non-beaded portion of the side wall constituting a recess lli! to t over the said thickened portion 3l of the flange l l, the arrangement being such as to prevent the application of the cover until the recessed or non-beaded portion of the cover side wall is brought into registration with said thickened portion 31 of the flange. By this provision the cover is readily slipped into place on the base portion Ill and after it is in place the interlocking engagement of the recessed or non-beaded portion of the cover side Wall with the base portion of the thickened part 31 of the flange Il prevents independent rotative movement of the cover member on the base member.

While the cover member I2 may be plain hollow throughout, that is, as to the inner faces of its side wall and top portion, which may be continuous and uninterrupted, and annular inner wall portion 49 may be formed on and depended from its top wall, said depending annular wall being, itself, tapered in thickness, and its outer peripheral face being spaced from the adjacent inner face of the outer wall of the cover member and said parts being flared downwardly apart and with the interposed portion of the flange Il affording an eifective enclosing and holding guide for the body of grouped hairpins riding on the annular rack.

The illustrated structure is but one eXemplii-lcation of the invention and the same admits of considerable modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. `Tl1e invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A hairpin dispenser comprising a base member having an annular upstanding flange constituting a rack for supporting a stack of hairpins placed on the rack in straddling relation thereto and in close relation to each other, said rack having a slot at a, definite place therein, spring-pressed means Within the device for urging the stack of hairpins on the annular rack bodily in one direction until the leading hairpin enters the slotted portion of the rack, said rack having means adjacent the slot therein for causing a protrusion of a part of the leading hairpin outwardly through the slot of the rack.

2. A hairpin dispensing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein there is provided a cover member on the base member whereby to enclose the stack of hairpins placed on the rack for the dispensing thereof, said cover member having a slot in a wall portion thereof coincident with the slotted portion of said rack on the b-ase member.

3. A hairpin dispenser comprising a circular base member having an annular upstanding flange adjacent the periphery of the base member, said flange being tapered corresponding to the flaring of the legs of the hairpin, said flange comprising a rack upon which `a plurality of hairpins are placed in straddling relation thereto and closeiy adjacent and abutting each other in an annular stack on the rack, spring follower means for urging the stack of hairpins on the raclr in one direction, said rack having a slot therein and into which slot the leading hairpin is forced under pressure of the spring follower, a cover member applicable to said base member and enclosing the hairpins placed on the rack portion of the base member, said cover member having a slot therein coincident with the slot in the rack portion of the base member, and means within the device for causing an outward tilting move-ment of the leading hairpin as the same reaches the slotted portions of the rack member and the cover member.

4. A hairpin dispenser as set forth in claim 3 and further including a latch means for releasably holding the spring follower means in a normally retracted position prior to the loading of the rack portion of the base with a plurality of hairpins to be dispensed, said latch means being arranged and provided so that it is moved to release the spring-pressed follower means at substantially the time the cover member is applied to the base member.

HAROLD M. HOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hutchinson June 13, 1944 Number 

